“I can’t handicap it,” Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said about the likelihood the team will reach an agreement on a new contract with Lester before camp breaks Saturday. “We’re still talking. There’s nothing else to report but that.”

Negotiations with Lester are more complex than with Ortiz, primarily because the star left-hander figures to make more money over a longer period of time. Lester likely is looking for a four- or five-year deal for at least $20 million per year to forego free agency after this season.

Cherington said the Sox haven’t scheduled additional face-to-face meetings with agents Sam and Seth Levinson, although conversations will continue throughout the week.

Lester reported last Friday that progress has been made but an agreement isn’t imminent. He also expressed a willingness to continue negotiations during the season as long as a deal is within reach. If the sides are too far apart, he may table the conversations.

Cherington also would prefer a resolution this week.

“Right now we’re focused on the conversation this week and trying to resolve it one way or another without getting into the season,” he said. “Hopefully we’re all reasonable people, and if it made sense we could reconsider next week, but that’s not the thinking right now.”

A few days ago, reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer rejected what the Detroit Tigers labeled a “substantial” extension offer, and he directed agent Scott Boras to end further talks until after the season. Lester and Scherzer would be part of the same free agent class as Cleveland’s Justin Masterson and Kansas City’s James Shields.

Cherington reiterated that the Sox want to retain Lester beyond this season. Lester was dominant in the postseason and is slated to make his fourth consecutive Opening Day start next Monday in Baltimore.

“No matter what happens the rest of this week, we’re going to support him fully,” Cherington said. “Our preferred position that he remains in a Red Sox uniform past 2014 won’t change.”

If nothing else, let this be first baseman Adrian Gonzalez’ Red Sox legacy: He helped extend David Ortiz’ career.

From 2008-10, Ortiz batted .218 with a .685 OPS against left-handed pitchers, a decline in performance that prompted then-manager Terry Francona to temporarily platoon him with Mike Lowell. But lefty-swinging Gonzalez joined the Sox in 2011 with a reputation for hitting lefties, and Ortiz suddenly batted .329 with a .989 OPS against southpaws.

“When Adrian Gonzalez was here, I know that there was a lot of conversation that went on between the two,” Sox manager John Farrell said before yesterday’s game against the Orioles was canceled in the second inning because of rain. “I think he got an understanding of what lefties are attempting to do to him. If you look back in 2009 and 2010, the performance against lefties was nowhere near what it had grown to in ‘11 and ‘12. It seems like there was a lot of back-and-forth between he and Adrian.”

Ortiz noted that Gonzalez preached the value in hitting to the opposite field against lefties.

“Just watching him, how he would get the inside part of the plate to lefties and approach the lefty middle-away, watching that, it was like, ‘Wait a minute, I think I can do that,’?” Ortiz said. “Put it in play and it works.”

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia on Ortiz’ contract extension: “I’m sure he’s relieved it’s over with and he doesn’t have to worry about it anymore. He can just focus on playing the game, competing and trying to help us win. We’re proud of him and happy he’s going to finish his career here.”

After initially outlining a plan that called for Grady Sizemore to play three consecutive games beginning Sunday, the Red Sox changed course, giving the center fielder yesterday off before he begins a stretch of three games in a row today.

“Honestly,” Farrell said, “there have been so many different ones talked about that I may have just communicated a wrong one to you.”

Sizemore is still scheduled to play five games this week, including three in a row, in the final test that he can handle the rigors of playing every day after missing the past two seasons with injuries. .?.?.

Daniel Nava got his first exposure to center field in a minor league game Sunday. Although primarily a corner outfielder, the Sox are hoping he can play center in an emergency.

In what amounted to his spring training debut, lefty reliever Craig Breslow faced three batters and allowed one hit in an 18-pitch inning of a Single-A game in Fort Myers.

Breslow likely will open the season on the disabled list, having taken extra time to rebuild his arm strength after a taxing postseason. .?.?.

Right-hander Jake Peavy threw 100 pitches and simulated six innings under the cover of the batting cage. .?.?.

Farrell said right-hander Clay Buchholz will stay in Fort Myers after camp breaks and get a final tune-up Sunday in either a minor league or simulated game.